AND OTHER BIRDS 165 



efforts of flight high jumps as it were, from the 

 water taken with a very limited run. 



Here breed in close proximity and often on 

 the same tree the Pied, the Frilled, and the 

 White-throated Shags. 



Upon each of our visits to this rookery, we 

 steamed into the Bay dead slow, and, in order 

 still further not to disturb the birds, allowed the 

 boat at some distance out to drift quietly past 

 the nesting trees. Even with these precautions, 

 however, our approach caused a general con- 

 sternation, an alarm and suspicion of mankind, 

 but too well founded. In this disturbance it was 

 the fully matured birds, perched either on the 

 low snags just above the water, or on the bare 

 boughs of the high trees, that first flew off, those, 

 in fact, who knew what to anticipate from the 

 advent of man. Their alarm communicated 

 itself to the newly-fledged and half -fledged 

 youngsters, and finally scores of birds were 

 diving from the snags, dropping from the nests 

 on high, and flapping along the surface of the 

 Bay. It was a scene anything but compli- 

 mentary to the humanity of those who had last 

 visited the rookery. 



As we passed within gunshot of the great, 

 gaunt trees, only the most resolute and devoted 

 of the sitting birds remained, and those, almost 

 without exception, were members of the Pied 

 Shag breed. 



During September three visits were made to 

 this rookery, and each time it was noticeable 

 that the assemblage of birds on or about the 

 colony had diminished. Of the birds in this 

 shaggery still nesting, the majority were Pied 

 Shags in fact there were but few nests occupied 



